Combination locking mechanism.



H. VAN HOEVENBERG. COMBINATION LOOKING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAE. 1, 1909.

Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

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WW fi J14 w 2 w my WITNESSES A TTORNEJS UNITED @TATEfl PA HENRY VANHOEVENBERG, OF LAKE PLACID, NEW YORK.

COMBINATION LOCKING MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, HENRY VAN HOEVEN- BERG, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Lake Placid, in the county of Essex and Stateof New York, have invented a new and Improved Combination LockingMechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to certain improve ments in combination locks forboxes or other containers, and more particularly to that form of lock inwhich the two sections or parts, for instance, the box and cover, arerotatable in respect to each other, to operate the lock.

In my improved locking mechanism, I employ one or more locking members,preferably in the form of rings and revoluble in respect to one member,and a retaining catch or projection carried by the other section andserving not only to rotate the ring or rings upon the relative rotationof the box sections, but also serving to prevent the opening of the box,save when the sections and rings are in predetermined relativepositions.

One of the main objects of my invention is to so construct thisretaining catch or projection that the box may be closed irrespective ofthe position of the retaining rings. This I accomplish by resilientlymounting the catch, so that it may slip past the rings in closing thebox but is prevented from moving back past them in the oppositedirection save when the rings are in predetermined relative positions.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures, and in which Figure 1 is aperspective view of a box and its cover constructed in accordance withmy invention and in the position occupied immediately after the openingof the box; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a box, the cover being removedand a portion of the box being broken away; and Fig. 3 is a developedsection on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

My improved box is formed of two sections, which in the particular formillustrated, include a box body 10 and its cover 11. The two sectionsare detachably asso ciated and are relatively rotatable. The twoSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 1, 1909.

Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

Serial No. 480,644.

sections telescope to a limited extent and the telescoping portions arespaced apart to leave an annular chamber or passage 12 therebetween. Asillustrated, the box is provided with a reduced neck portion 18, and thecover is in the form of a cap with a depending flange let for receivingand inclosing the neck portion 13. The annular chamher or passage 12 isformed between the neck portion 13 and the flange 14. WVithin thisannular chamber, one of the sections carries a plurality of tumblerrings revoluble in respect to the section but held from longitudinalmovement in respect thereto.

It is evident that the rings may be carried by either section, but theyare preferably carried by the neck portion 13 of the box. As shown, Iprovide four rings 15, 16, 17 and 1S, lying closely adjacent each otherand held from longitudinal movement in one direction by a shoulder 19 onthe box neck, and held from movement in the opposite direction by acollar or ring 20 constituting an annular flange at the mouth of thebox, and also serving as a tumbler ring. Certain of the rings are fixedand certain other of the rings are rotatable, and each and all of therings have one or more notches or openings 21 therethrough which, whenbrought into registry, permit the opening of the box. Preferably, thealternate rings, for instance, the rings 15, 17 and 20, are held rigidin respect to the neck, while the remaining alternate rings 16 and 18are rotatable. The rings 15, 17 and 20 have their openings 21permanently in registry with each other, while the openings 21 in therings 16 and 18 may each be brought into registry with the openings 21in the other rings independently of each other. In Fig. 1, I haveillustrated all of the openings 21 in registry with each other. Theother section of the box, that is, the cover, is provided with aretaining catch or projection 22 which engages with the under side ofthe lower ring 15 to normally lock the cover in position but which maybe moved through a series of openings 21 when said openings are inalinement, to permit the opening of the box. This retaining catch is inthe form of a spring having its upper end secured to the cover andhaving its lower end free to move inward or out-ward radially. The

lower end of the catch is normally in the 1 position indicated in Fig.3, that is, it engages with the under side of the ring 15 to prevent theopening of the box, but when the cover is removed it may be replaced onthe box irrespective of any predetermined position of the tumbler ringsor openings therein. The catch 22 presents an upwardly andinwardly-extending cam surface 23, such that when the cover is placedover the neck of the box and pressed downwardly, said catch 22 springsoutwardly and the cover snaps into position by the end of the projectionslipping over the outer edges of the several rings. The box may thus beclosed without any regard whatsoever for the position of the openings,but it cannot be opened unless the openings 21 are all in registry. Thecatch 2 thus operates as a spring bolt.

The catch 22 constitutes not only the bolt of the lock, but it alsooperates as the means for bringing the movable rings 16 and 18 to thedesired position by a predetermined relative rotation of the twosections of the box. The tumbler ring 16 is provided with a lug 2 1which extends inwardly and downwardly to a position beneath the underside of the stationary ring 15, and in the path of the end of the catch22. Thus, as the two sections of the box are rotated relatively to eachother, the catch 22 and the lug 2 1 of the tumbler ring 16 will comeinto engagement and the tumbler ring will be caused to rotate in respectto the box body and the openings 21 will be brought out of or intoregistry as the case may be. The tumbler ring 16 is provided with asecond lug extending upwardly past the edge of the stationary ring 17and into a slot 26 in the periphery of the upper revoluble ring 18. Theslot. may be of any length desired but it is of sufficient length togive a certain amount of lost motion between the rings 16 and 18, andthe ends of the slot constitute stops 27, which, when in engagement withthe lug 25, cause the two rings 16 and 18 to rotate together.

The outer surfaces of the two box sections are provided with certainmarks, whereby a person unfamiliar with the tumbler rings and their lugsbut acquainted with the combination, may rotate the sections in theproper manner to bring all of the openings 21 into registry. Forinstance, one of the sections may have an arrow 28 marked thereon andthe other section have a series of designating lines or marks 29 pastwhich the arrow moves as the two sections are rotated relatively to eachother. To open the box, it is necessary to rotate the cover sect-ion 11until the retaining lug or catch 22 comes into engagement with the lug24, so that the ring 16 will rotate wit-h the cover, and to thencontinue the rotation of the cover until the lug 25 comes intoengagement with one of the stops, so that the ring 18 will also rotatewith the cover. The rotation is still further continued until theopening 21 of the ring 17 is in registry with the openings in thestationary rings 15, 17 and 20. The operator of course ascertains thisby his knowledge of the combination and the rela tive position of thearrow 28 and lines 29. The cover is then rotated in the reversedirection through approximately one complete revolution to bring thecatch 22 in engagement with the opposite side of the lug 24:, and acontinued rotation of the cover moves the ring 16 independently of thering 18, until the opening of the former is in registry with the openingin the latter. The direction of? rotation of the cover is again reversedand the rotation continued until the catch 22 is brought opposite theseries of registering openings and the box opened.

I have so far referred to only one retaining catch 22 and one series ofregistering openings 21, but it is of course evident that a secondseries of openings and a second retaining catch 30 may be employed. Thesecond series of openings are so positioned that they will be inregistry when the first series are, and the second retaining catch 30 isof course so positioned as to come opposite the second series ofopenings when the lug or catch 22 is opposite the first-mentionedseries. Preferably, the openings in one series and the correspondingretaining catch, are of greater width than the openings of the otherseries and its catch, so that one catch cannot be passed through theopenings of the other series. The retaining catches also differ fromeach other in that only one of them, that is, the first-mentioned one22, serves to engage with the lug 24C to rotate the tumbler rings. Thecatch 30 does not extend inwardly to quite so great a distance and doesnot engage with the lug 24 or in any way affect the :tree rotation ofthe cover in respect to the tumbler rings.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. In combination, two separate telescoping cylindrical box sectionsrotatable in respect to each other, a plurality of tumbler ringsintermediate the sections at their telescoping portions and carried byone section, and yielding catches carried by the other section andhaving engagement with said rings.

2. In combination, two separate telescop ing cylindrical box sectionsrotatable in respect to each other, a plurality of tumbler ringsintermediate the sections at their telescoping portions and carried byone section, and yielding catches carried by the other section andhaving engagement with said rings, said rings being movable relativelyto each other by the rotation of one section in respect to the othersection.

In combination, two relatively revoluble, detachably associated boxsections, a ring carried by one of said sections and revoluble inrespect thereto, and a yielding or resilient catch carried by the othersection and in engagement with said ring, said ring being revoluble inrespect to its section by a predetermined rotation of one section inrespect to the other.

4. In combination, two relatively revoluble, detachably associated boxsections, a tumbler ring carried by one of said sections and revolublein respect thereto and nor mally concealed from view within one of saidsections, and means carried by the other section for normally retainingthe sections in engagement with each other and also serving to rotatesaid tumbler ring in respect to its section.

In combination, two relatively revoluble, detachably associatedtelescoping box members, and two locking members for normally retainingsaid box sections in engagement with each other, one of said lockingmembers being curved and carried by one section and movable in respectthereto, and the other of said members being carried by the othersection and serving to move the firstme11tioned member in respect to itssection.

6. In combination, two relatively revoluble, detachably associatedtelescoping box members, and two locking members for nor mally retainingsaid box sect-ions in engagement. with each other, one of said lockingmembers being curved and carried by one section and movable in respectthereto, and the other of said members being carried by the othersection and serving to move the first-mentioned member in respect to itssection, and also serving to retain said sections in engagement witheach other save when the two sections and the first-mentioned member arein predetermined relative positions.

7. In combination, two relatively revoluble, detachably associatedtelescoping box members, and two locking members for normally retainingsaid box sections in engagement with each other and disposed between thetelescoping portions of the sections and normally concealed from view,one of said locking members being curved and carried by one section andmovable in respect thereto and the other of said members being carriedby the other section and serving to move the first-mentioned member inrespect to its section.

8. In combination, two relatively revoluble, detachably associated boxsections, a plurality of tumbler rings carried by one of said sections,certain of said rings being fixed and certain other of said rings beingrevoluble in respect to the last-mentioned section, means carried by theother section for rotating one of said tumbler rings, and lost motionconnections between said lastmentioned ring and another one of saidrevoluble rings.

9. In combination, two relatively revoluble, detachably associated boxsections, a alurality of tumbler rings carried by one of said sections,certain of said rings being fixed and certain other of said rings beingrevoluble in respect to the last-mentioned section, means carried by theother section for rotating one of said tumbler rings, and lost motionconnections between said lastmentioned ring and another one of saidrevoluble rings, said means also serving to re tain said box sections inengagement with each other save when the rings and sections are inpredetermined relative positions.

10. In combination, two relatively revoluble, detachably associated boxsections, a plurality of tumbler rings carried by one of said sectionsand having openings in registry with each other when said rings are inpredetermined relative positions, certain of said rings being fixed andcertain other of said rings being revoluble in respect to thelast-mentioned section, means carried by the other section for rotatingone of said tumbler rings, and lost motion connections between saidlast-mentioned ring and another one of said revoluble rings.

11. In combination, two relatively revoluble, detachably associated boxsections, a plurality of tumbler rings carried by one of said sections,certain of said rings being fixed and certain other of said rings beingrevoluble in respect to the last-mentioned section, aresiliently-mounted retaining lug or projection carried by the othersection for rotating one of said tumbler rings, and lost motionconnections between said last-mentioned ring and another one of saidrevolu ble rings.

12. In combination, two relatively revoluble, detachably associatedsections, a plurality of retaining rings carried by one section andhaving a series of openings in registry with each other when said ringsare in predetermined relative positions, and a retainer carried by theother section and resiliently mounted to spring past said rings inbringing the sections into engagement with each other but preventing theseparation of the sections save when said openings are in registry.

13. In combination, two relatively revoluble, detachably associatedsections, a plurality of retaining rings carried by one section andhaving a series of openings in registry with each other when said ringsare in predetermined relative positions, and a retainer carried by theother section and resiliently mounted to spring past said rings inbringing the sections into engagement With each In testimony whereof Ihave signed my other but preventing the separation of the name to thisspecification in the presence of sections save when said openings are inregtwo subscribing Witnesses. istry, said retainer also serving as anoper I HENRY VAN HOEVENBERG. ating member to bring said openings into iVitnesses:

registry by a predetermined relative rotal CLAIR W. FAIRBANK,

tion of one section in respect to the other. EVERARD B. MARSHALL.

